The Simplest Things
by cottrox
Summary: Larry Stylinson. x Stan is coming to visit. How will Harry react? R&R? x -hint of ziam, again-


**This has smut in it. This is the first time I've ever written smut. Please be nice. C:**

**And It's come to my attention that I rather like having Ziam in the background of my fics. And Niall with food.**

.-.-.-

"Hey Louis, when's Stan gonna get here, I wanna eat, NOW."

Everyone laughed at Niall's complaints, everyone except for Harry.

Harry was currently slouched in his chair, absently fiddling with his phone as a distraction. He hated to admit it, but ever since Louis had announced that his old buddy Stan was coming over to visit them in America for a week, he felt as if Louis was pulling away from him. Harry hated it. He wanted Stan to get here now, so he could leave and Harry would have Louis to himself again.

"He should be here any minute Niall, can you wait that long?" Louis asked jokingly.

Niall sighed exasperatedly, "If I must." Louis chuckled.

There was a knock then, piercing through the room, sending a wave of worry through Harry. An excited expression graced Louis' features, something only Harry used to be able to do. Harry fidgeted out of jealousy, he could feel his emotions closing in; but he had to be nice to Stan, he was a big part of Louis' life, and Harry would always be grateful for that.

"LOUIISSSSSS!"

"STANNOOO!"

Harry rolled his eyes.

"Oh my God man, it's been too frickin long!"

"I know buddy, it's good to see you too!" Louis patted his back, pulling him into a headlock. Zayn started talking to Stan, Niall said 'fuck it' and started to dig in, and Liam went over to talk to Harry.

"Harry, are you going to behave tonight?" Liam mocked.

Harry shot him a glare. "Yes mother,"

Liam sighed. "Harry, it would mean the world to Louis if you and Stan bonded, you two are his best friends,"

Harry usually loved it when outsiders commented on his and Louis' friendship, but when another friend was in the loop, Harry became envious. "I…" Harry glanced at Liam, "Yeah, alright, fine,"

He stood up, feeling as if his feet weighed a thousand tons each, and stopped in front of the two Doncaster lads. Louis still looked blessed out, either he hadn't realised Harry being moody these past few days, or he did know and he wanted to rub it in his face. Harry didn't like either option.

"Hey, Harry," Stan looked normal, though his voice sounded a bit worried. "How have you been? Taking care of this joker for me while I've been gone?" He laughed rather awkwardly, hiding some of his body behind Louis.

Harry forced a laugh, looking over at Louis as he replied, "Yep, yeah, you know it, he's been no trouble,"

Louis stared at him, something about Harry catching his attention. He knew he'd been acting different these past few days, but he hadn't been able to figure it out yet. As soon as Stan settled in, he was going to talk to Harry.

"Alright, so, dinner?" Louis asked the room, Niall responding from the other room with 'Already beat you too it!'.

.-.-.-

"Niall, honestly, quit hogging all the popcorn!"

After dinner, they had all agreed on a movie, with Liam in favour, they ended up watching, yeah, you guessed it, Toy Story 3. Liam was on the recliner, Zayn seated in between Liam's legs, Niall sprawled out on the floor, getting popcorn everywhere. Harry, Stan and Louis were on the couch, Louis in the middle, which Harry was thankful for.

Harry kept glancing over at Louis, watching as he would lean over to whisper something to Stan.

'Well, two could play at that game.' Harry challenged, placing his arm along the back of the couch. Louis would always, when they were watching TV, lean into Harry's side, Harry's arm resting on his shoulder. It was something they always did. And Harry didn't want to admit how relived he was when Louis acknowledged it, moving his body into the crook of Harry's arm, placing his head on Harry's shoulder.

Harry felt powerful, glad to know he still had an effect on Louis, and he turned his head to Stan and gave him an all-knowing-grin. Stan looked confused, giving Harry an I-have-know-idea-what-you-mean look. But Harry knew better, gripping Louis' shoulder tighter, Louis presenting a small smile.

"Oh my God, I hate this bit," Liam announced, covering his eyes.

"Liam, it's just a Ken doll,"

"Yeah, possessed by Satan maybe," Liam replied, ignoring Niall's laughing fit.

.-.-.-

It was later that Louis remembered he was going to speak with Harry, but it had completely slipped his mind, ever since Harry's attitude had changed that evening. It was 1:34, the neon number's flashing in his face. Louis had tried getting to sleep, but there was a weird feeling in his gut, like he was missing something between himself and Harry. And he gave up trying to figure it out, slipping out of bed and padding down the hallway to Harry's bedroom.

He stopped at the door and just… stared at it. What was he doing? What was this need of always wanting to be close to Harry… and before he knew it, his hand was turning the knob and he was walking in.

Harry felt a dip in his bed. He grinned; knowing the culprit, and rolled over, startling Louis.

"I was hoping you were asleep," Louis admitted, sheepish.

"And have me miss out on this? Never," Harry grinned, wrapping his arm around Louis and spooning behind him.

Louis grew hot, the feeling of Harry all over him. He didn't know why he was reacting like this, they did this regularly, he shouldn't be freaking out this much. But he ignored it, lacing his fingers through Harry's.

"I missed you," Harry whispered, kissing behind Louis' ear.

Louis smiled, thankful for the darkness hiding his blush. "Me too."

.-.-.-

"Should I wake him? I mean, it's nearly midday…" Stan looked over at Niall, a questioned look on his face.

Niall snorted, "You'd be lucky if they wake up before dinner," he said, swallowing whatever it was he was eating.

Zayn walked by, stopping to look inside Harry's room. "What Irish said, seriously, those two, when they're together, no one else exits," Zayn shrugged, giving Stan an apologising look, and continued walking to the living room where Liam was currently singing along to Hot Chelle Rae.

Stan looked back and his best friend and what, after much observation, what seemed to be Louis's new best friend. Harry and Louis. They sounded so right Stan couldn't bring himself to feel protective of Louis. Harry seemed to care so deeply for his friend, and Stan noticed his hand grip Louis' in his sleep, and so Stan closed the door and followed Niall to where the other's voices were currently screaming out throughout the apartment.

"Harry… Harry!"

Harry stirred, blinking his eyes open only to find Louis's green ones staring back at him. '_What a great way to wake up.'_ "Is it breakfast time?"

Louis laughed, resting his forehead on Harry's. "No, it's actually 4 in the afternoon,"

Harry joined in, gripping Louis neck, taking this moment all in. It was perfect for him, Louis in his arms, not a care in the world. Then he remembered Stan just outside the door. He stopped laughing quite abruptly, and Louis noticed this.

"Hey, you okay?"

Harry's eyes flickered up, forcing on a smile. "Yeah, sorry, I guess I'm just really hungry, wanna go out there?" Harry had already started to change, pulling on his jeans and Ramones t-shirt. Louis remained still.

"Uh, yeah, I'll join you in a sec," Louis replied, watching as Harry fled the room.

Harry walked into the kitchen, Niall and Zayn engrossed in their conversation, so Harry made a beeline over to the lounge room where Liam was in the middle of explaining his phobia of spoons.

"Hey guys," Harry greeted, sitting himself down next to Stan, who looked a bit startled.

"Harry, so nice of you to join us," Liam laughed. "Where's Louis,"

"He's changing,"

Stan still seemed uncomfortable, and Harry decided to do something, even if he might regret it later. "Hey Stan, do you want to come with me to play laser tag tonight? I was thinking of heading out after dinner."

Stan turned on him, surprised, excited, and if possible, even more confused than before. "I-uh, um, sure, absolutely, that sounds great, should we invite Louis too or-"

"No." Harry cut in. "Just us, I really do wanna get to know you,"

Stan smiled faintly, and Liam looked rather impressed. And just then Louis appeared from around the corner, fixing his fringe – a sign Harry knew that meant he was trying to listen in, and felt guilty.

"Hey Lou," Stan jumped up and gave his friend a hug. "Guess what? Harry and I are going to play laser tag after dinner! Isn't that great!"

Louis could tell his friend was a bit scared, placing an arm around him. "Really? Sounds like fun, can I join in?"

"Actually," Harry spoke, "It's just a Harry and Stan night tonight, right buddy?" Harry winked.

"Uhh, of course, yep," Stan laughed slowly, excusing himself to go and talk to Niall.

"Well," Louis started, "I am glad that you two are finally getting along," he looked at Harry, a bit of hope glistening in his eyes, "Really, it means a lot."

Harry inwardly sighed, but a smile appeared on the surface. This was going to be a long night.

.-.-.-

"Harry, don't take this the wrong way, but are you always kinda mean with new guests?"

After their laser tag exhibition, Harry suggested a café, hoping some good coffee and cake would sooth him. Harry turned to Stan, bringing his drink to his lips and taking a sip. "Listen, Stan… uh, I'm… sorry, about that." Harry swallowed, not sure how he could explain this. "I'm, well, Louis and I are… he's… he's my best friend, but I know you're his and I just-"

"Me?" he interrupted, "No, not anymore, I hate to admit it, but I think you're above me on his list." Stan smiled sadly, taking a swing of his latte.

Harry tried looking solemn, but in the inside he was doing his happy dance. "You really think so?"

"Yeah, he loves you, I don't think I've seen him like that with anyone else," Stan commented, head turning to a loud noise off in the distance.

Harry took that in. But watching Stan now, he couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for him; Louis was amazing, and apparently, he cared about Harry the most. Harry felt like a dick.

"Stan, I am so sorry, I was an asshole, you didn't deserve it, I just… Louis is…" he trailed off, and just then Stan noticed something, something that should have been clear from the start.

"Harry, do you…" Harry looked up at him, and Stan inhaled sharply. "You really love him, don't you?"

Harry stared. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," Stan explained, "Are you… in love… with him?"

.-.-.-

"How do you think they're going?"

Louis had been pestering the other boys all night, worried about his two best mates, hoping they hadn't gotten into a fight or something.

"Louis, please, I can't concentrate with you walking back and forth all the time." Zayn complained, turning back to his game, the flashing PAUSE sign turning off.

"But, I mean really, was I too pushy to get them to bond… I just, I still never quite got why they never got on anyway-"

"Wait, what?" Niall interrupted, everyone looking in surprise as he actually put down his packet of chips. "You don't know?"

Louis looked worried. "I… no, I really have no clue…"

"Jesus," Liam laughed, "Harry's only like completely jealous of Stan,"

"What? Why" Louis asked.

"Louis," Zayn popped up, "You're Harry's best friend, and he thinks Stan is yours,"

Louis looked shocked. He never thought about that. And the more he did now, the more he realised Harry's behaviour these past few days. But… shouldn't Harry know by now that he was Louis' best friend? Harry was everything to him. Stan will always be there, Louis loved him immensely; he would always be thankful the day the boy walked up to him in high school and asked him if he wanted to play Pokemon with him.

"No, it's more than that," Niall interrupted, and before he could continue, Zayn went over to elbow him in his side.

"Just, go out and find him, talk to him Louis, you'll find out what you need to know," Zayn finished, pointing to the door for encouragement.

Louis looked at Niall and Liam, searching their faces to see if they agreed. They did. So without saying anything, he slipped on his shoes and jacket and ran out the door, leaving it open in his steps.

.-.-.-

"Am I… _in love_ with him?" The thought sounded ridiculous, he was trying hard to figure out how that could be a possibility. Stan continued staring, his intense gaze never wavering. Harry started fidgeting. "I… I don't know, I don't think so, no. No. Why would I be in love with him?"

"Because I can tell." Stan stated. Harry opened his mouth in protest, but Stan carried on. "Don't even try and deny it Styles, I'm not blind. Hell, even a blind person could tell. They way you look at him, seriously, like he's the only person in your world. How you always find little excuses to touch him, just to remind him you're there. And when you sing Harry, I know you're singing it to him. It's everything you do, subconsciously or not, he's all you see."

Harry felt dumb struck, like a wave had come down and hit him with so much weight he felt ready to faint. _I'm in love with Louis… _"But, he… he doesn't feel the same, does he? Oh God, I'm in love with my best friend who doesn't love me back. If this is what one-sided love feels like, I hate it." He started to panic, he didn't want this; he wished Stan would take all his words back.

"Harry, stop it, don't flip out on me," Stan ordered.

"What? How do you expect me to react to just realising I'm gay and in love with my _best friend_!" Harry empathised on 'best friend', hands reaching up to grip his hair.

"Harry, this doesn't necessarily mean you're gay, I mean, do you still find women attractive, like, would you want to still date them? And hey, same goes for men, are you attracted to any guy in this café right now?"

Harry calmed down, did what Stan suggested. He scanned the area, noticing a few nice looking girls, but no guys were really doing anything. "I don't know, I'm not feeling much of anything…" Harry didn't know what this meant.

"Well, maybe it's just Louis you want, maybe he's the one." Stan shrugged, leaning back in his chair.

Harry looked to the floor for support, needing some serious time to think this over. "Thanks Stan for this… eye-opening evening. I… I think I need to go for a walk, though, I, uh, I'll see you back at home later?" and before Stan could answer, he left the café, the crisp evening air hitting his face as he walked.

.-.-.-

Louis was a few blocks from the apartment when he realised he didn't have any idea where Harry and Stan could've nicked off too after their laser tag exhibition. He thought about Harry, what he would do, what he would be allowed to do from their management, and went with his gut instincts.

He headed off to the left, ignoring passer-bys as they recognised him. He just needed to find Harry.

.-.-.-

Harry's legs started to speed up, wanting to just run away from his feelings. Why did this have to happen to him? Why Louis of all people to fall in love with? And how would management take this, what were they going to do when they realise he wasn't dating anymore, didn't hook up. Would they figure it out?

It was wrong, he need to stop feeling like this, needed to distract himself, find someone for the night, find-

And he stopped, dead in his tracks.

There was Louis, looking right back at him.

Only twenty feet apart and it felt like galaxies.

"Harry…" Louis whispered, and suddenly, Harry got it.

He needed Louis. He understood now, that feeling of only wanting one person, just that one person who laughed at your lame jokes, sung along to the radio with you, put up with you when you got grumpy, always forgave you when you did something stupid… and, most importantly, loved you for exactly the way you were.

"Louis, please don't hate me for this," And Harry was up in his space, kissing him with love and passion, gripping Louis' forearms.

And something Harry never expected to happen, happened. Louis kissed back. His arms curled around Harry's neck, his feet slotting in between Harry's. Harry felt over the moon, wrapping his arms around Louis's waist. It was a while later that they stopped, Louis resting his forehead on Harry's; something they always did.

"Louis, what-"

"I figured it out," Louis cut him off, smiling. "I was looking for you, just then, and I realised, that when I went out looking for you and Stan, I thought about where you would go. Not Stan. Just you." He paused, his hands coming to rest on Harry's cheeks. "I knew then, for some reason, that it was you all along. Everything I was searching for was right there beside me, I just never noticed."

Harry stopped breathing. _Was this really happening?_

"The boys did help me to realise it," Louis laughed.

"Who'd have thought Stan would be the reason we got together?" Harry sighed blissfully. "God, I love it when you smile."

Louis blushed like mad. "I think I'm going to look forward to hearing more things like that," Louis grinned, pulling back to look at Harry.

"Hey, I didn't say you could stop touching me," Harry ordered, pulling Louis back in for another kiss.

"Anything for you Harry," Louis murmured. "Always."

.-.-.-

"Geez, took you guys long enough to get home."

Harry and Louis had arrived around 1, hand in hand, shocking the boys, but not before they all congratulated them, Zayn saying loudly 'Praise the fucking lord'.

"Hey Stan," Harry grabbed Stan's arm, pulling him to the corner of the room. "I really want to thank you, for everything. And I am still so sorry for treating you like this for ages… but at least you know why. And I don't think I would be with Louis if it wasn't for you and the thought of that…" Harry made a pained expression. "I'm just, really thankful." And then he pulled Stan in for a hug.

Stan gladly returned the hug. "It's cool, I'm just glad that Louis has someone that really cares for him; that's all I could want," he pulled back, giving Harry a grin before placing his hand out. "Friends?"

"More than." Harry confirmed, smiling like a nut. He looked over at Louis, ignoring Niall's constant chants of 'I told you so! I knew it! Go me!'. Louis noticed him, left Niall and came right over to his two favourite people.

"Hey guys," Louis said, reaching out to entwine his hand with Harrys. "Stan, man, I don't know what I'm going to do with Harry, teach him a lesson maybe," he winked at him.

Stan laughed. "Not necessary, we're cool." Sending a smile Harry's way, Stan went to give Louis a hug. "Don't let this one go, okay?"

"Never." Louis promised.

Harry blushed.

.-.-.-

Harry and Louis collapsed on the couch, both exhausted from lack of sleep. Louis rested his head on Harry's shoulder while Harry wrapped and arm around him. After several more lovely days, they had just gotten back from the airport, both sad to see Stan go, but he made Louis promise to catch up soon.

"I miss Stan," Harry whined.

Niall had gone home, hoping to still be able to order some pizza before they closed. Zayn had followed Liam to his place, and Harry noticed their hands coming to brush together every so often, almost like they wanted to entwine together but couldn't. Harry would ask them later.

Louis punched him lightly. "Hey, don't go making me jealous there."

Harry grinned, tackling Louis into the couch cushions, pinning his arms above his head. "Don't worry, Stan's got nothing on you sweetheart." And he then leant down to kiss Louis soundly, inhaling his scent, experiencing the feel of Louis beneath him. It was perfect.

Louis groaned, trying to press his body up to Harry's. He couldn't get enough, the tease. He broke free of Harry's grip, finally, and his hands went to find Harry's back, effectively pulling Harry's shirt up. "Off, this needs to come off," he demanded.

Chills went down Harry's spine, and he couldn't help but obey, taking his shirt off in one swift movement. Almost instantly he had a lap full of Louis, and he wasn't complaining. He went for Louis' neck, his hands finding his thighs. _Shit, legs shouldn't turn me on like this… _and then he found Louis' ass. _Oh fuck, I'm done for._

"Harry, Harry, oh shit!" Louis whispered, breathing deeply.

Harry loved having this effect on him. He feels, as corny as it sounds, so connected to Louis. "Fuck, I don't think –oh shit do that again- I don't think I've ever been more attracted to someone in my life,"

"I know," Louis agreed, his mouth finding Harrys again, tongue pushing past his lips.

Harry's eyeballs completely rolled back into his head, his body becoming numb from the pleasure he was feeling. _'Fuck, this is too much, I'm not going to last…'_He ground his hips into Louis's, the feel of his dick getting some relief, and he could feel Louis respond immediately.

"Harry," another moan, "I'm not gonna last,"

Harry continued thrusting, his hands grabbing anything he could. _Anything I want now… we're together. _"Louis," he puffed out, "You're mine now, okay? No one else can have you, it's you and me – forever; you cool with that?"

"I've never heard better words."

Harry could feel it, hot and white and blinding as he came. He felt Louis coming too, he grinned, loving they did it together. It was intense, so much so he was scared about actually going all the way, full on sex. He had never been more excited. Louis was resting his head on his shoulder, his hands having trouble holding on to Harry's shirt.

Harry brought his arms around Louis, lifted him up, and made way for the bedroom. He chose his own, as his bed was a bit bigger and freshly made. He pulled off Louis's pants and shirt, doing the same for himself.

"You're too good for me," Louis commented around a smile, burying himself under the covers, lifting out his hand for Harry to take. Harry did, spooning his body behind Louis, kissing his head soundly. Harry spoke the words he'd been wanting to all night.

"I love you."

Louis shifted, coming to face Harry. Harry inhaled sharply, the beauty of Louis so close, so perfect, and it was all his. Louis was his-

"I love you too." Louis whispered.

-and he was never letting him go.


End file.
